Discussion #4: Technology

The article I read focused on intercultural learning through the use of blogging and ethnographic interviews.  Blogs are a form of computer-mediated communication and are used to promote reflective learning.  The idea of having L2 learners read the blogs of NS’s (native speakers) is an excellent idea and I like that it can help those students that are study abroad improve their experience abroad, as well as helping students who are at home become more inter-culturally aware.  Blogs are a good way to learn about important cross-cultural issues, see other cultural perspectives and become culturally sensitive.   I loved this quote that commented on ethnographic interviews, “According to Spradley (1980), “Ethnography offers us the chance to step outside of our narrow cultural back grounds, to set aside our socially inherited ethnocentrism, if only for a brief period, and to apprehend the world from the viewpoint of other human beings who live by different meaning systems” (pp. vii–viii).,” (p.3).  Ethnocentrism is a huge problem and it hinders the experience that a student who goes abroad.  To fully enjoy a study abroad experience a person needs to be open to different cultural experiences and therefore become culturally aware.  The article discussed a study of 16 American students who were studying abroad in Spain and were able to use blogs (personal, class, project blogs) as well as ethnographic interviews to improve their study abroad experience and cultural awareness.  I think one important point made is that students need to be taught idioms (or phrases) that are used in the foreign country that they were be visiting, so that cultural misunderstanding does not happen because of literal/direct translation.  I would not give back my experience abroad for anything and I’m happy I have been able to experience speaking and interacting with a diverse population of NS’s. 

            I think that technology is most definitely an asset when it comes to foreign language learning.  I think foreign language teachers should use social networking tools like twitter, Facebook, blogs and wiki to supplement/enhance foreign language learning.  I have to say that I have become better at writing in Spanish because of the time I spent communicating via text message and chat on Facebook.  I was able to see things written out in front of me and would get instant feedback from the person (a native speaker of Spanish) who I was talking to.  The feedback would either be they did not understand, so I would have to rephrase/rethink what I wanted to say or they would send me an appropriate reply which let me know that the language I used was clear enough to get my message across.  This type of interaction is so different from just writing a dialogue or turning in a paper, since the teacher would give feedback after the fact and it did not show how language is used on a daily basis.             

 

Just this past week after I had posted a comment on Facebook in Spanish to respond to something a Mexican friend of mine had said, I actually had a friend from the Dominican Republic, who is learning English, message me and ask what “chinos” meant.  He wrote me, “hey what does mean chinos I haven't seen this word before at least mexican use it?”  I responded, “Yes, Mexicans use it. Chinos to them it means curly hair...which is really funny because Chinos (meaning Chinese people) do not have curly hair at all!” He messaged back, “alright now I know a new word.”  This shows that my friend is curious and culturally aware as well.  He knows that I have friends from Mexico, so he was correct in assuming that it must be Mexican “slang” or jerga.  It is nice to learn different dialects of Spanish and because of social networking like Facebook, I can see what my friends are up to and how they live their day to day lives. Through my friendships and continued communication with my Spanish friends via Facebook, it is like my time abroad has never really ended. 

            The Second Life for Language Learning was a cool YouTube video and I can see why this approach could be very beneficial for students who want to improve their English speaking skills.  Having a virtual classroom like this English school is an up and coming concept that is taking hold all over the world and a lot of people seem to agree that online learning is more than just a possibility, it is reality.  More people are opting to take online classes and the use of technology in the classroom has increased exponentially in the passing years.  We are more dependent on technology and it is great that we can take advantage of technology when it comes to language learning.  Face-to-face interaction with NS’s is not always a possibility, but not with computer-mediated communication we can chat, Skype, blog, twitter and get to know a NS without ever actually meeting him/her in real life.  Second Life puts a whole new spin on this because it takes role-playing to a whole new level.  I loved how the video had the English students practice being at the airport and the restaurant through this virtual world.  There were many opportunities to practice English, while also becoming more culturally competent.  During the airport practice the English teacher asked the students what they thought the most important thing was about the airport and during the restaurant practice students were able to learn about the food from other cultures. 

Technology and L2 Learning and Teaching

I believe that technology can be helpful for learning, however I do not feel it has a large enough impact on second language learning. Personally, I found social networking sites distracting and they typically prevent me from doing homework. If one of my classes was utilizing these sites for assignments I would struggle on concentrating on the task at hand. However, my sociology statistics class had a class Facebook  and we used it to form study groups and ask each other questions about our homework if we were struggling. I found this very effective because we weren't using it to complete assignments - we were mostly using it to seek out help from our classmates. Also, our professor used to post on the Facebook group as well, so if we were really struggling with something, and no one seemed to know the answer, she would point us in the correct direction.

My article was about the use of a podcast and to see if it really is beneficial tool for students learning better pronunciation. The article defines a podcast as, "an audio file that anyone can create using a computer, microphone, and a software program." Once these are posted on the web, they can be downloaded and played using a computer and/or MP3 player. Since many students have difficulty detecting errors in their pronunciation, assignments on a podcast allows students to record themselves and then play it back and listen to their errors. They can record, listen, edit and revise as many times as they would like. On a podcast, students can also receive feedback from their peers as well as their teacher. A teacher can also post a lecture on a podcast for students to review before coming to class or if they missed class to catch up on the material.  One unique and effective tool of a podcast is that teachers can make assignments contextualized in comparison to just drills. This will help students make connections and eventually learn the information better. As a teacher, I would find it useful to use a podcast to post lectures for students who missed class or as reinforcement for students who are struggling. In regards to assignments, I would have students use a blog similar to the one Lina showed us in class.

Although I do think the video is interesting, I personally wouldn't use second life in my classroom. For those students who are interested in computer simulations, such as the sims, this could be interesting for them. I think for students who are more serious  about learning a second language this would be a good tool for them. However, for students who are only taking the class to get credit, it wouldn't be effective at all.

The technology article that I read was about the Amazon Kindle now offering books in other languages. They have the fonts to support the foreign characters and still allow the reader to annotate and highlight within the text. Notes in the margins can be edited, as well as the text shared between users. I think this is a great way to learn in general, if technology is something you prefer. It's a good way to save paper and money and now that they are offering this in other languages, it is even more applicable to different subject areas. I, however, prefer paper books still. I'm all for technology bringing people closer together, even when they are far away, but for reading and learning, I prefer paper.

For learning languages in a classroom, I think blogs and wikis can have their uses. If, like this class, you only meet once per week, it can be beneficial to continue conversations and debates outside of class. On the other hand, it does not give you the one-on-one or group experience that learning a language requires. Even the semi-online courses that may be offered over the summer cannot always reach this face-to-face goal. Even with technologies and tools that let you record your voice, the students cannot see your entire body and the movements you make when you speak. Even videoing yourself does not fully capture everything, and it's still too artificial. I believe person-to-person contact is the best way to learn a language.

This video kinda creeped me out, to be honest. The woman said at the end that "it's a really great place to be" and that they should "spend time here in Englishcity." This makes it sound like they will actually be going to this city, when, in reality, they will be in their bedroom in their pajamas. Also, as I said before about the video an audio recordings, there is no way to see fully all the body movements that go along with speech. This computer generated city is the exact same thing. The people that you see interacting don't move their lips the way they should, nor do they do more than just swing their arms back and forth when they talk--highly unrealistic. I do think it's great that there are real teachers helping out with this program, but it still seems to be fairly rudimentary at best.

Discussion 4 - Technology

I definitely feel like technology can be a great supplement to language learning. By using games like Second Life and social networking sites like Facebook, students can practice the language in the same settings as they use their native language. People who enjoy playing video games will greatly benefit from using their second language in a way that interests them. Not everyone likes the classroom setting, but most people are comfortable talking via social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter.

The main reason I think technology is helpful is because when it is used as a supplement to classroom learning, it extends the daily language learning from only an hour or two into whenever the student wants to practice. People all around the world can reach native speakers of whatever L2 they are studying in just a couple seconds. Technology allows the learner to take more of their learning into their own hands, giving them access to everything they need to be a better L2 speaker.

Nothing can replace the hands-on approach of classroom learning, because any kind of physical group learning activity cannot occur via the internet, like practicing imperative phrases with the total physical response method. But when used in conjuction with each other, language learning can become not only more interesting, but also more effective.

Discussion 4: Way to much to say

I have mixed feelings about technology in the classroom. I love using presentations from PowerPoint or Prezi, videos from youtube, images from the internet, and online homework and quizzes like My Comp Lab or My Math Lab. I find these tools to be easily useful and applicable to the learning environment. Even "fancy" new technology like iPads and eReaders can be useful: I know I use my iPad for 90% of my assigned readings for this semester. There are always developers working on new software and ways to bring it to the classroom. I've even come to like using the Wiki and the Blog to share ideas between students and encourage broader thinking. As I've started playing with AudioBoo, I can see there is great potential there, specifically for foreign language learning.

However, I still have trouble accepting that social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook can be good tools for learning. In my freshman year, my English 401 professor required us all to make Twitter accounts and to Tweet article links about that semesters Discovery Discussion topic once a week or so. I found it to be tedious and not very useful at all. Students were looking up links and Tweeting them, but not really interacting with each other or even fully reading their own articles, let alone someone else's.

I read the article about a college professor using Facebook with his intermediate French class of 17 students. The idea was they all took on a fake identity of a French person and they all lived in the same apartment building and interacted with only each other in that character. They were required to have some sort of interaction in that "community" 3 times a week as part of their homework and participation. They had to write memoirs and post them as notes, some of them created events for the apartment community and some of their characters became friends. It was interesting to see each of them create a unique identity and then interact through that medium. They certainly seemed to use French in a very social informal context, practicing with status updates, comments, messages, posting on walls, posting images of art, video clips of songs, etc. The professor then incorporated the apartment community into the classroom, where they would write their memoirs, complete activities and solve problems (like a murder mystery) in their personae   However, I'm not sure that would necessarily work in many classrooms at the high school or lower level. There is enough of a difference in maturity level that might make students less interested in this type of project or less willing to work within the guidelines responsibly. I think it is a fun and fairly useful way to encourage students to practice their language in a social context, but it is definitely not something that can be used in every classroom.

And that is really the biggest issue with technology: it isn't a cover-all solution. Teachers have to be properly trained to use it, apply it and guide students in using it. For example, not every school has WiFi, so not every school can benefit from iPads or iPods for students. Not every student has access at home to a computer, so teachers have to make sure to build in a bit of time in the computer lab or library. It's true students can stay after school or come early to have access, but sometimes they have to take the bus or are on another person's schedule. Even in a perfect world where every student has equal access to technology and every teacher has equal access to training and workshops, there are some parts of technology that will work better for different teaching topics and styles. I think technology can be a useful tool in language instruction, but the burden of proof rests on the teacher to search out the training and learn how to apply it where it will have the greatest effect.

P.S. I think the idea of Second Life for language learning is great for non-traditional students of foreign languages, but to require students at public schools to spend a certain amount of time online and interacting in  a chat world through an avatar is unrealistic. I think you would see similar behavior and problems that are found in any other online world. Students in a traditional school already have access to a (hopefully) teacher and other students that they can interact with. But if you want to learn a foreign language as an adult or in the cases of online high schools, the interaction and access to an authentic teacher and "authentic" learning environment can be incredibly helpful.

technology

            Technology can be a terrific tool to use in a Foreign Language classroom.  There is such a vast array of sources once you open your classroom to the opportunities of the 21^st century.  My article referred to the use of a video chat to link Spanish students with native speakers and teachers in order to improve conversational skills.  This seamless exchange of audio and video allows for the most realistic impression of a face-to-face dialogue.  This practice even just once a week displayed improvement to vocabulary, accent, and overall speaking ability. 

            Other resources such as YouTube are extremely great to find authentic music and videos to present material in different and captivating ways.  Our blog is a great example of something that could be done in any Foreign Language classroom with weekly topics and responses in the L2.  Facebook allows for connecting with native speakers and is a great way to network as well as increase proficiency.  Everyone learns in a different way, especially with languages, so expressing a grammar lesson through a song, video, or other non-textbook manner may spark an understanding or interest in one of your students.  Practicing talking through an exchange with a native speaker will increase comprehension and is a varied and interesting activity.

Discussion # 4

            I think that technology can be very helpful towards language learning, however it can also be detrimental. The great thing about using technology to learn a language is that you can go at your own speed and learn in an environment that is both comfortable and is geared towards your own learning needs. One of my favorite projects for Japanese was a language blog that we shared with a University in Japan. We would write entries in Japanese and they would type us messages in English. Using this blog, not only were we able to have pen pals of a sort, but we were able to learn more casual speech and cultural customs.

            Some of the disadvantages that can come from it though is learning grammatical or writing mistakes. Some software programs are better than others, however, sometimes through learning languages over technology based programs, you may learn something wrong and there is no one to correct you. It is also hard to have language taught in a meaningful context. I also feel that oral skills would be lower due to less face to face interaction on a daily schedule.

            For some very motivated people, learning a language may be a great way to develop language skills. However, for me, I need that extra push that comes from being within a classroom. It brings a competitive edge when being in a class that I think would be hard to replicate through applications and websites. A virtual classroom might be close.

            The Second Life ‘English City’ was intriguing. I thought that Second Life was a dating site, so the video definitely confused me at first. I think it’s a interesting concept, however I think it may be important that you have a consistency of teachers, since there are minor differences between English dialects. The Second Life city allowed language to be taught in a more meaningful context and definitely allowed for learners to speak with each other and enhance their own oral skills. 

I feel that using technology is extremely helpful because it gives teachers the opportunity to go above the what is available just in the textbook. There is such a variety of technology that is available to to teachers and many of them don't take that advantage. I know when I am a teacher that I will use technology because it helps reinforce that material in a way that students are more familiar with. With technology there is an infinite amount of data on the topic of foreign language teaching that with out it students would not be getting the best education they could. With the idea of social networking I feel that it can be used to an extent. Blog and Wiki are excellent examples of good social networking features that are useful for teaching because it encourages students to go into a discussion. Facebook and twitter are not so good in my opinion because people over use them. From personal experience I do not want to see my classes popping up on my news feed. Also so many people use facebook that it can easily distract you from doing homework or trying to have a discussion like on blog. Twitter is also over used in my opinion because so many people tweet stupid things or thing that would distract you. The second life video was interesting but I do think that it would be a good tool for learning a second language because some people may not be interested into a program like second life. If your interested in computer simulations like this then it may prove beneficial but I would never use second life in my class.

Discussion #4: Digital Technology for L2 Learning and Teaching

Based on the technology article you have read, do you feel that technology is an asset to teaching foreign languages or do you prefer not to use it? Why? How do you feel about using social networking tools, such as Blog, Wiki, Facebook, Twitter or Skype to supplement and support language teaching? Use examples to justify your answers. 

View this YouTube video and comment on the use of Second Life for Language Learning.

Effective Language Teaching

The question of effectiveness of language teaching and how to ensure students are actually learning the material can go on forever.  The way that I have successfully learned thus far is through my professors' use of the target language.  Hearing the L2, even if it is just for that short class period, will broaden your vocabulary immensely as long as you are actively listening and participating.  The amount of the language that is not understood may start off as being large, but as each week progresses students will be quicker to pick up on repeated words and phrases and add them to their own personal vocabulary.  Many of the phrases and grammar constructions that I know now and use on a daily basis, I know because of repeating something an instructor of mine has said.  Of course, this is all dependent on what language level you are teaching, a lot of beginning levels will be frustrated and confused if you are rapidly speaking in a language they have never heard before and you will instantly lose their interest.  Once a student has reached an intermediate level or higher, I believe one of the best ways to increase their proficiency is hearing and responding as much as possible in the target language.

Language Teaching

    In my view, effective language teaching is providing learners opportunities to use target language in comprehensive context. These opportunities could be expressing themselves, communicative interaction with other people, or fulfilling the task alone. Besides, teachers need to use authentic language, give feedback when needed, and adjust the teaching methods to meet learners' needs. To let the learners have a better understanding of context, teachers also need to provide the culture background of the target language.
    After reading the 9 methods in chapter 3, I find that lacking of any of these elements listed above cannot augment learners' integrative competence of the target language. The Grammar-translation Method is lack of self-expression, interaction, cultural context; the lack of correction in the Direct Method will lead to early fossilization; Audiolingual Method cannot provide the chance to let learners create themselves; the Cognitive Anti-Method and the Cognitive-code Method are either ignore grammar teaching or emphasize too much on explaining grammar; Communicative Language Teaching doesn't have fixed set of methodological procedures; TPR's way of using commands limits the context; the Natural Approach is lack of corrective feedback in classroom instruction; Community Language Learning does not ensure this class including a large range of contexts; the Silent Way and Suggestopedia all lose authentic input materials and speech. Thus, to teach language effectively, teachers should use different teaching methods together to cover up the shortage of each method.

Discussion #3 - Effective Teaching

I believe there is a balance that needs to be found, in order for teaching of any subject to be effective. Instruction certainly needs to be meaningful, otherwise what's the point? The teacher must be teaching material that can be applicable and understandable for the students. On the other hand, a teacher can't just teach straight out of a textbook; the material needs to be presented in a manner that is, at least part of the time, interesting and fun. I've been in the situation where my eyes have glazed over while the teacher reads directly out of the text book or off of a hand-out. Instruction needs to be stimulating in order for students to really learn and apply the knowledge. Otherwise the information goes in one ear and out the other.

Specifically for foreign language teaching, I feel that having the course be taught in the target language as much as possible is really very important. It's constant exposure to the language and the continuous input that will help students gain more proficiency: that is, after all, the idea behind a study abroad or immersion program. On the other hand, there will be moments when students will not understand a specific grammar point or a word or phrase and to really convey the usage or meaning, the teachers will have to explain it in the native language. And that is perfectly fine! In fact, it is helpful. If the students get stumped on one small point and can't learn the lesson because of it, they might feel as if they failed or are no good at the language and just give up. Part of the 5 Cs of Foreign Language instruction is to create life-long learners and no one will keep learning if they feel they are destined to fail. Again, effective teaching requires a balance or methods, as well as being aware of the students, their levels and their needs.

Discussion 3 - Effectiveness of Language Teaching

Effective language teaching takes a lot of different approaches. Using only a single approach, like the drill to kill method, will never be as effective as a broad spectrum of methods. There is no single aspect of language teaching that needs to be taught the most, because they are all important. While it is very important for the teacher to speak the target language to the class, I do not think this should be one hundred percent of the time. Even at higher levels of classes, using only the target language most of the time is fantastic because it forces students to circumvent any words they don't know in response, and try to increase their fluency. However, if a student does not understand something the teacher is trying to explain and does not know the metalinguistic terms in the target language, learning any kind of grammar becomes increasingly difficult, which is why any advanced grammar should not be taught in the target language.

Language Teaching Effectiveness

From my experiences, a teacher can really effect your learning of a foreign language. One of the most effective (positive and negative) aspects of teaching is the amount of speaking in the target language is done by the teacher. In my freshman year French class, my professor spoke usually would only speak French and at a native speaker's fluency. This was frustrating for most of the class, because she would continue to repeat the same phrase over and over hoping that would help us understand. I believe that it is important to speak a lot of the target language, but not too much over the learners level of understanding. I also think that when students are having a hard time understanding the message the teacher is trying to convey that some use of their native language as well as body language is extremely helpful. On the contrary, I also took one year of French in my senior year of high school, and that teacher rarely spoke French. When she did speak French, she had a very American accent. In this classroom I felt like we weren't challenged to learn the language subconsciously. I wish we listened to some tapes of native speakers to get a better understanding of the language.

Effectiveness of Language Teaching

           I am studying Spanish and English with my education courses in order to become a good language teacher, and be able to teach a language effectively.  What would be the point if my language teaching was ineffective?  I think the best way to assess effective language teaching is to survey the students and somehow quantify what they have learned.  What makes a teacher effective is the way he or she presents the material.  Language material should be presented in multiple ways and as we learned last week, language students should be provided with multiple forms of language “input.”  Also, as cognitive theory states, teaching should promote meaningful learning. 

The type of language instruction that will augment language learning should be “meaningful,” this type of instruction should relate to the student and put what they are learning in context.  Some ways to do this could be to have students go to a Spanish restaurant as a class and actually order from the menu in Spanish, this brings what they have learned in the classroom to the outside world.  I love having my students listen to music they like, in this case it was American music, and I had my intermediate English high school students write down the lyrics of the song, but told them that they did not have to translate it.  At the beginning of class we would go over their assignment and it was great to see that there were only a few words they did not understand.  I love the idea of learning through music, because it is something that is easily relatable.  Having students listen to conversations either on tape or video then work in groups and come up with their own dialogue and then present it is a good idea.  Maybe even have students act out a scene and videotape it.  I also think it is a great idea to have students record themselves and when they are at a high enough level have a conversation partner.  Language instruction should not be all about just classroom lectures, assigned readings and written homework.    

I don’t think that teachers should speak the target language a 100% of the time, but should speak the target language as much as possible.  Once the students are at the intermediate level then classes should be conducted in the target language all the time.  However, in the lower level classes, especially beginner classes the teacher should use the target language only to say things that have already been reviewed in class or to explicitly name an object that they are holding, so that way it is easy for the students to make connections and comprehend what is being said.  It would be useless to teach the class a 100% of the time in the target language if students do not understand what is being said most of the class.  It would be frustrating and discouraging to students if they could barely understand half of what was being said in class.  The class needs to be taught at the level that students can understand; so in lower language level classes teachers should speak in the target language when they feel it is appropriate or speak in both languages when needed.  

Language Teaching

I believe that a good language teacher is comprised up of many different elements. These elements include the knowledge and competence of the target language, effective classroom management, and the ability to have fun and teach lessons that really get the students involved. If a teacher just does a grammar lesson with no activities for the students they will most likely forget it come the next day. I also believe that teachers in foreign language have an advantage over many other types of teachers because in foreign language you are not only teaching grammar and vocab you are teaching culture and life of a foreign country. In order to augment language learning teachers should include games, songs, and other multi media devices to really get the students involved. I do not believe the the target language should be spoken 100% of the time because if the teacher in an introductory course is speaking about a topic that the students have not learned yet then they will be lost and fall behind. If the classroom topic is well understood and all the students can have a basic conversation using what they have learned then the target language should be spoken.

As in the video we watched for the Chapter 2 questions, I think the most effective language teaching method is when the teacher can speak the target language, but still be understood by the students. The goal should be to teach them as much as possible, without making the material too advanced to comprehend; it shouldn't go over their head. Though this would be ideal, I realize it is very difficult, if not nearly impossible to achieve. Kreshner's theory is what I think comes closest to what actually happens in a classroom.  The teacher can put in all the effort and planning they want, there is still the issue of the affective filter and how much the students actually want to learn.

Discussion #3: Effectiveness of Language Teaching

Language teaching approaches and methods have cast light on the language teaching and practice. There are sill many controversies about the usefulness and appropriateness (e.g., a total of 9 methods mentioned in Chapter 3). In your view, what makes an effective language teaching? What type of language instruction will augment language learning? For example, should teachers speak the target language 100% of the time?

Homework

    Practices make perfect. Language learning is not an exception. Homework is an essential part of foreign language class, because if someone wants to master a new language, they need to practice as much as possible to catch up with the native speakers. Homework should be used not only after the lesson but before the lesson on the requirement of content of class (listening, speaking, reading, or writing). Take English reading class as an example, if the teacher doesn't assign homework to students to prepare for the reading material before the lesson, they won't have the chance to confront unfamiliar words by themselves and determine the meaning of words by context, which is a significant way of learning new vocabulary. Also, if there is some long and complex sentences students may find difficult to understand in the reading material, asking them to preview can deepen their impression, which is better than just explain to them in the class without let them have a moment of thought. However, for a writing class, written practices after lesson definitely can improve students' writing skill effectively. Before the lesson, students just need to do some oral homework like brainstorm or questioning to explore the topics. Homework such as let students memorize words without understanding how to use them in the sentence is an improper way of teaching language.
    I agree with some tips in the video that before you start to do the homework, firstly you need to give yourself enough work space and clear all the potential distractions. A tidy working environment can help you think clearly. Taking notes on the textbook and give yourself a break once in a while is a good way to increase efficiency. Music is not a necessary part of doing homework, students can use it or not according to their different learning habits.

Discussion 2

Language homework is important for classes, as we are practicing learning a language to speak and use in everyday life. There are hours of practice needed to make sure that we are comfortable producing the language either in writing or in written text. So for languages, homework is absolutely necessary.

 In my view, homework is supposed to act as a reinforcement of the points taught during class that day. It is when teaches introduce literature or new ideas in the reading that vexes me greatly. The first reason that while it is suitable for class discussions, such as for English classes, when you are trying to learn it for a class where you have to apply it such as with a science or language, it is detrimental if you don’t understand it properly the first time, and it becomes ingrained in your head that way. For me, this is not a viable way to learn.

Currently in Arabic, our teacher is having us read ahead before we learn the material in class. While it does allow the teacher to go over it more in depth and spending her time explaining it rather than introducing it, it is one of the greatest sources for frustration for me. Many times I will read the chapter, follow the drills to come in the next day and find that I had been doing it all wrong. It makes more sense to be to be practicing all of this after we have been introduced to it properly.

While the video seems to be a dramatic interpretation of their tips, I do think that much of what they said is true. First off, students do have a lot more homework in our parent’s generation. In the case of Korea, this is almost insane.

Role of Homework

            I think homework is appropriate for a foreign language class.  The ideal situation would be to have everyone in the class have a language tutor to assist with homework and practice conversation.  However, since this is not a possibility I think that students in language classes should be assigned a language partner, a classmate in their class, in order for them to be more productive doing homework.  I can see the value in doing tedious conjugation worksheets and practicing writing new words by writing these new words in sentences, etc.  In my opinion, this kind of homework does have a place, but the best homework assignments should be done in pairs so that both students will have the opportunity to speak to each other and learn together. 

Growing up a person did not learn his/her native language on his own, it was a community-learning experience.  A child learns his native language from everyone around them, but it is hard to replicate this in a foreign language classroom where we do not have this advantage.  This is the main reason studying in a foreign country and spending time abroad is so important for someone who really wants to learn the language.  A preschooler doesn’t know that much of his native language, but can easily be instructed in English, for example, because he already has a basic subconscious understanding of how English works, English comes second nature to him.  By the time he is in preschool he should be able to understand it and speak it without difficulty.  The work comes in teaching this child how to read and write in his native language. 

From this comparison I want to point out the fact that it seems “backwards” to expect first-year language students to write and read in their new foreign language without having any real ability to understand or speak in that language.  Homework can play a role in filling this obvious gap, by making students memorize vocabulary, listen to simple conversations and practice the basic structure of that new language.  I think homework can be improperly used when it doesn’t engage the student and is only given as “busy” work, instead of the teacher having a goal in mind when assigning that homework.  I think some homework should be assigned before the lesson in order to familiarize the student with the new language concepts and that way they might be able to use these new words and language structures in class during the lesson.  The homework assigned before the class should be pretty simple and straightforward and the homework given after class should just be used to reinforce the lesson, thus forcing the student to use what they have learned.

   

            I think that the 6 tips that the video gave were valid ones that I have heard before.  Finding a dedicated place to study, clear of distractions is very important and making sure that it is well-light.  Eating snacks while studying does help me sometimes and I don’t mind having music playing in the background.  My sister always did her homework while watching TV, I could do that but not when I was working on a reading assignment.  I whole-heartedly agree with turning off the cell-phone (or at least turning the sound off) and also signing out of Facebook for example.  One girl I’m tutoring actually hides her cell-phone while she’s studying.  Taking notes while reading is a useful tip, but I like reading it through one time without stopping and then rereading if needed to take notes.  Taking notes while reading does help, but it makes reading take a lot longer which is a downside.  I try to take breaks and that way assignments don’t seem so long or time-consuming.  The video was entertaining and the study/hw tips it gave were good ones, but when it comes down to it students should do what works best for them.      

To me, homework is an important part of learning anything. We are only in class for a few hours out of the entire week, so some of the leaning should happen outside of the classroom. This may also give students the time to work out what was gone over during class and make any charts or diagrams that will help them envision the material better. They can adapt the lesson the teacher taught to their own learning style.

One of my high school math teachers had the idea to switch the content of his classwork and homework. He wanted to record himself giving the lecture and have the kids watch that for the first time as their "homework." Then, when they came to class, he would have problems for them to work through. This way, he was there to answer questions and work through the problems with them if they found they were having difficulties. He wanted to start this new method because he found that students were understanding the material in class, but forgetting it by the time they got to the homework and were unable to ask him for help until the next day, when it was due. I think this is a brilliant idea that should be given a try in other classes too.

The video was comical, and my work for some people, but I find I do homework best at night (not in the sunlight) and in the quiet. Music just distracts me. It is important, however, that each student finds what works best for them and sticks with it.

Homework in a Foreign Language classroom is an extremely useful tool to reinforce classroom lessons at home.  Homework also acts as a precursor to a lesson so discussions can be initiated based on readings or exercises.  Students assigned something as little as conjugation practice, translations, or vocabulary activities for outside the classroom will retain more on those subjects as well as overall helping them with thinking in the target language.
Some teachers will assign busy work thinking the more time students spend in the language will help, but I believe the opposite.  Hours of busy work will not improve Spanish skills but rather disinterest the student with mundane work.  A combination of assignments done before class that are meant to enhance a lesson and discussion, and exercises after class to reinforce the learning is the key to successful use of a students out of class time without burning them out.

Homework is very important in the role of learning any foreign language.  A student needs the practice and the repetition to fully grasp the information.  Certain assignments are helpful in this, like when students are learning suffixes or vocabulary.  Memorizing the suffixes on their own and practicing them on real words is helpful.  But for too often, the teachers provide assignments that are too heavy and the work gets redundant.  "Busy work" as students call it is a large issue that turns a lot of students off of schoolwork.  One can only conjugate so many verbs or decline so many nouns before his or her brain fries, as I have much experience with.

Latin has so many different endings and situations where the repetition is necessary to learn what to use and when.  But with this example, and for all other languages, it is important to know why that ending goes on that word in that situation for a full grasp of the language.  If the students just go through the motions of putting "-itis" on the end of a verb when it is second person plural because they are told to, they will not know what to do when they see "amitis"and have to translate it on their own.

Homework is necessary and helpful to learn a language if it is implemented properly.  Homework is like Goldilocks and the three bears.  Too little serves no purpose because the students do not get enough exposure.  Too much and the students can get overwhelmed or brain dead.  The amount and the type has to be just right for the situation; and that is very hard to achieve.

Discussion 2: Homework

       As a student, I have a love/hate relationship with homework. When all of my classes decided that I need to read 50 pages or solve 50 problems or write a 10 page paper for the next day, it all feels completely pointless. However, I can see and understand the benefits.
       In terms of foreign language teaching, homework can be helpful, though never appreciated. There just aren't enough hours in the school day to do all of the practice and learning at school. Students have maybe 2 hours a day of their FL then go on to other classes about other subjects and finally go home for the day or weekend. I know from experience that once they go home, if they don't have to think about school, they aren't going to. That one worksheet of verb conjugation or the crossword puzzle of vocabulary and definitions, in theory, will help keep the student thinking about and practicing what they learned in class, if only for 20 minutes or so. Homework, in essence, is a way of extending the learning beyond the classroom, though mostly it is used just for repetition.
        While I may understand the reasoning behind homework, there are sometimes when it is just a half-hearted assignment because everyone has to have homework, and the students can tell when an assignment is just a time-waster. I believe that if a specific topic or skill or grammar point can be better learned with bit of extra repetition or practice, then it is useful to assign homework. There is limit to the amount of homework that should be assigned: if it's too much, student's won't really think about what it is they are working on. Instead, they'll just do it to get it done.
         As for homework assigned before a lesson is taught, I feel that in most cases it can cause more frustration than increased learning. Perhaps if the assignment was to read a small passage or story that will be discussed later in the classroom, it can be prep work. But assigning a student to do a worksheet on a part of grammar that they haven't been taught yet is to set the students up for failure.
        I think the video is rather amusing way to show different studying techniques to students. It is set up like it could be a boring instructional video from the 50s, but the acting is extremely amusing.

The Role of Homework

Homework is essential for almost any subject, and in foreign language especially. In foreign language classes, I feel like homework should be given almost every night. However, it should be a moderate amount of work that shouldn't  take too much time. The assignments should revolve around the lesson that were just taught that day, as a way to reinforce the information presented. Often times when a teacher is presenting a new concept, the entire class period is spent introducing that new topic - there isn't much time devoted to practicing. I have found that only through homework can I find out if I really understand the new information. When introducing a new lesson, I think it is important that homework starts as simple as possible, only practicing the new information, and eventually increases in difficulty, incorporating other knowledge of the language previously learned.

I think homework should be assigned after the lesson is taught. There is nothing more frustrating and discouraging than struggling with concepts never seen before. I believe that homework is improperly used when it is assigned before a lesson - because you are practically setting your students up for failure. Overall, I think homework is meant to be a link between class periods. You are assigned work based off of what you learned that day, so the next day you can move further. When homework isn't assigned after a new concept is taught, the next day students seem to have forgotten much of the information. This causes the teacher to have to reteach, which overall is a loss of time. 

The video was enjoyable to watch, because all of the suggestions were very doable. I was surprised to learn that students who study with natural sunlight statistically get better grades. When I do work outside I am often distracted by the nice weather and everything that is going on around me. I also found it interesting that it suggested listening to music while studying. I can listen to music, on an extremely low volume, if I am doing worksheets or answering questions. However, when I am reading and sometimes writing I find music very distracting.

Homework and foreign language

I feel that homework is very appropriate for a foreign language class. It is appropriate after teaching a vocab, grammar, and culture lessons. Homework enforces what was just taught in the lesson that day. When a teacher assigns homework he/she should use a variety of different styles ranging from worksheets, crosswords, and homework that includes multi-media equipment. Homework, however, is improperly used when a teacher assigns it as busy work. When teaching it is important to that all homework assignments relate to a subject that was already presented to the students. From my experience I have learned that homework can be very frustrating when the teacher has not taught the subject. How is a student expected to do work when the subject or new lesson makes no sense. In my opinion homework should always be given the day after the lesson is presented to make sure that the students are reinforced. Im my mind a lesson on vocab or grammar should last 2 days allowing the students to really grasp the topic.

This video was fun to watch because I feel that it is important that each student develops his/her own study routine. Once a routine is developed then the student can improve his/her grades and habits. Homework is such an important aspect to the student well being that with a good space and study habits his/her grades should improve.

Discussion #2: Role of Homework

When (if ever) is homework appropriate for a foreign language class? How should it be used? Do you feel it is ever improperly used? Should homework be given before or after the lesson is taught. Exchange ideas with your peers and be sure to use examples to support your opinions.

What do you think about this video?

Discussion 1

            I think that all students should take a language of some kind while at a university. In today’s world, we are a global culture and that means interacting with others in an international setting all the time. We have music and literature coming in from all around the world and we should be able to be active participants. It is unusual, in international standards, to be only monolingual.  There are many benefits to becoming bilingual, such as a greater understanding of grammar and it actively helps with understanding your own native language more.  When you take the time to learn another language, there is an inane insightfulness that you gain about either your own culture or own language.

            While taking a foreign language to gain a bilingual status is improbable for most students, even a basic level of understanding a language can show other people that you at least took the time to learn something about them or their culture. For business this is extremely important. It is all about networking, and showing someone that you know even a few words can open up more doors than previously possible. My Father used to have to work in Saudi Arabia and showing that he knew a few greetings and phrases to not only get around but to make friends and business connections were incredibly helpful.

             Having a foreign language disposable to you in a global world seems to be almost indispensible, and I can’t see how it would hurt students to not at least take one or two years of a language. 

Foreign Language Requirement

            In today’s constantly shirking world I believe that knowing a foreign language is more important than ever.  It is amazing that even in a state like New Hampshire we have so much diversity.  My family is from the Dominican Republic and my parents speak Spanish.  Some of my best friends are from countries like Haiti, Colombia, Bosnia, Russia, Germany, China, Canada and Mexico, and they live right here in New England.  I did not really learn to speak Spanish well until my late teens and it wasn’t until my early 20’s that I actually felt comfortable speaking it.  If it wasn’t for foreign language education in my junior high school and high school I would have never been formally introduced to the Spanish language. 

Knowing a foreign language is not only an indispensable skill, but I think that it expands your mind and your perception of the world around you.  I did not consider myself even close to proficient after four years of Spanish at the secondary school level.  It took some more classes in college and time abroad to make me feel comfortable, and now I feel confident saying that I’m fluent; though learning a foreign language is a continuous process, which goes for even your native language.  There are still new words and phrases that I learn in English daily and spoken language changes constantly.  

At the college level students should be required to prove proficiency in a second language.  I was surprised to learn that foreign language proficiency is only required for students in the College of Liberal Arts here at UNH.  It doesn’t surprise me that colleges now want to see 3-4 years of a foreign language when looking through prospective students’ college applications.  Understanding and speaking another language opens a person up to a whole other culture, a completely different way of thinking and expressing oneself.  I believe strongly in bilingual education, where a student doesn’t have to lose their native language skills in order to become more proficient at another, such as ESL students in the US.  Students would feel more comfortable learning and speaking another language if it was introduced in elementary school.  Language is what makes us human and knowing a foreign language makes us appreciate being human.  Being able to communicate better with those around us is a gift.  Requiring foreign language proficiency from university students shouldn’t be seen as a mere requirement, it is essential to living in our networked world. 

Foreign Language Requirements

Taking a foreign language should be require in high school and college, if not even middle or elementary school.  If the students are not forced to learn a language, most will not.  This may be my cynicism, or my humanism, or basic psychology, but in my experience people will not do things above and beyond what is necessary.  The majority of people do the bare minimum so succeed.  So if students are not required to take a foreign language, most would not voluntarily do so.

I talked to a few friends about this topic over the week.  Everyone had a different opinion and reasoning for why they believed if it should be required.  One of my friends said it should be required because America is a melting pot and learning the culture and language of our ancestors would be beneficial for a stronger sturdier America.  Another friend disagreed saying it is a pointless requirement because the students would not reach a level of fluency where they would easily be able to use the language.  Both these opinions are valid and very compelling, looking at the cultural benefits and the utility of the languages.  I had not considered anything along those lines when I read the prompt; immediately my brain when straight to the "humans suck" reasoning.

When I was first looking for colleges, I was dead-set against a school with a "core curriculum" or gen-eds that had to be fulfilled. To me, it was irrelevant to take history or biology classes if I was going to be a Spanish major. And I saw no reason that the History or Bio majors should have to take a language.  Why waste time taking classes and learning things you'll never use, and maybe hurting your GPA in the process, just to fulfill some requirement that somebody else made up?

I think this is a key point in establishing this sort of requirement, that everyone at a University level take language classes. By the time students reach their college career, they are starting to become specialized in their respective fields. Not to mention, they might even be past the critical age for language learning (Critical Period Hypothesis). This could make them reluctant to learn and give them difficulties throughout the class. That doesn't encourage learning. What I would suggest is that language classes be required of the undeclared majors (maybe it will turn out to be something they like) and strongly encouraged for the rest. If they really, truly don't want to be there, they won't be, but if they're willing to try a new language at 22, that open-mindedness could make all the difference.

Foreign Language classes are a great way for students, especially at the university level, to get a better idea about another country or culture as well as learn tolerance for all different lifestyles.  Global awareness is a vital part of a person's development, and having a requirement in some sort of a foreign language would ensure this and help mold a more tolerant society.  On the other hand, students with engineering and other technical degrees would have a hard time fitting such "unnecessary" classes into their busy course load.  Having such a requirement for these degrees would lead to uninterested classrooms and a lot of dead weight.  Therefore, I think that a foreign language requirement should be left to students seeking a related degree or one that would benefit from these classes, this would keep participation and willingness to learn a lot higher throughout the entire department.

Foreign Language Requirement

I do firmly believe that the university should have a foreign language requirement. There is a reason throughout all stages of school students are encouraged to learn a new language; acquiring a second language not only increases a student's cultural awareness, but it helps them become more adept with their own language as well because they need to know the metalinguistic terms for their foreign language studies. Someone who only knows their native tongue can easily forget after high school what a direct object is in a sentence, or what it means for a verb to be transitive, but because a student must use these grammatical terms to learn how a different language's grammar works, they become more familiar with the metalinguistic terms. As their elementary vocabulary increases in their second language, their intellectual vocabulary drastically increases in their mother tongue as well.

The expansion of the student's cultural knowledge is also very important in their development into adulthood. It can be very easy to live solely in the box that is the United States and forget about the intricacies of the rest of the world, but by learning the language of a different culture a student's interest in that culture also increases, broadening their horizons and possibly changing the way they think about the world. While language may not be related to whatever specialty a student chooses in college, it is important to require foreign language classes because many students would not otherwise take a language at all, leaving them clueless to the beauty of emerging oneself into an unseen part of the world.